Addicted to day 2, chevelle transformation help?

[PxTx]

I think that only applies to leaf spring cars.

[TheNovaMan]

But you're still adding a second point of rotation to the suspension. You've got the point where the upper and lower control arms would intersect if they were longer, and you've got the front mount of the ladder bars. At best, it will bind, and at worst it will break something.

[Plowman]

I have saw those Ladder-Bars work on hard race cars with no breakage,did see axles and spider gears break. Yes it will bind.

[Glenn70]

Back in the day before anyone really knew the factory 4 link could work if set up right, the NMW ladder bars were usually put on these cars as the only drag racing traction device available (besides air bags or the no hop bars). My red 70 was drag raced alot with ladder bars and 2 pieces of the frame were pulled out on each side right where the front brackets bolted up. No doubt due to the conflicting angles as explained, or possibly the bolts just loosened up over time and whala. But with that said, the car did hook with a 4 speed and alot of abuse (and broken parts). The ladder bars were welded to the axle tubes as well to keep things from rotating. My friends 70 chevelle convertible also had the same setup and was launched at 6000 rpms with a stick shift alot of times as a dedicated race car, also took its toll on the chassis. But since were reliving those times as Day 2 cars, ladder bars just have to be on them again! I would think the limited use most of our cars see today, unless we are drag racing with stick shifts, frame damage is unlikely to happen.

[The Dude]

This car is a 4 speed and the ladders wrecked the frame, cracked on both sides. It saw a lot of drag strip action however. Ive removed all the speed parts to restore the car. Reverse Day 2 I guess.

[Hemicolt]

This shows how little these companies and racers, (at that time), understood instant centers and
the way the suspensions where designed to work. Had anyone had the foresight to market
tubular, rear control arms with rod ends, they could made a ton of money after they proved
how well they worked.

[TheNovaMan]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Glenn70</div><div class="ubbcode-body">But since were reliving those times as Day 2 cars, ladder bars just have to be on them again! I would think the limited use most of our cars see today, unless we are drag racing with stick shifts, frame damage is unlikely to happen.</div></div> I agree that ladder bars definitely look cool and are part of the whole Day 2 thing that we love, but I wonder if there's a more clever way to install them so that you don't have two competing instant centers. Maybe just leave out the front bolt where the ladder bar pivots?

[Glenn70]

Possibly if you left out the factory lower control arms and made the ladder bars the new low control arms it might work but I wouldnt be brave enough to try it. You'd probly need a diagonal cross bar similar to a real ladder bar race car and a better front bar crossmember.
BTW since a day 2 nova would have traction devices are you running slapper bars on yours? Nothin like a set of lakewoods peeking out from under the car to inspier day2 woosiness, [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/crazy.gif[/img]

[Hemicolt]

The upper control arms hold the rearend from moving side to side.
As long as the front bolt hole on the ladder bars are at the same height as the lower control arm mounting point, and the ladder bars are at the same angle, the instant center wouldn't change enough to fool with it.
Whenever I get around to installing the NMW ladder bars on my Chevelle, I will not bolt them down hard to the axle tubes and will weld a stop onto each side of the bars to keep them from walking side to side.

[TheNovaMan]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Glenn70</div><div class="ubbcode-body">BTW since a day 2 nova would have traction devices are you running slapper bars on yours? Nothin like a set of lakewoods peeking out from under the car to inspier day2 woosiness, [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/crazy.gif[/img] </div></div> Yes, but right now I have the incorrect current Lakewood design that uses 1.5&quot; x 2.5&quot; rectangular tubing. This winter I'll be building a set of the 2.5&quot; square design with J-bolts (many thanks to copo69's friend Warren for the measurements), and they'll actually contact the front spring eye like slapper bars should.